By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer
Just 30 minutes before his jury trial was to begin June 2 Brian Patrick Desjardin, 42, entered a guilty plea to two charges.
According to his defense attorney Robbie Taylor, Desjardin entered a guilty plea to one count of strangulation, a second-degree felony, and one count of indecent assault, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Desjardin, of Vowinckel, had earlier rejected a plea deal and requested the jury trial.
Clarion County Judge of Common Pleas Sara Seidle-Patton thanked the jurors who appeared at the Clarion County Courthouse for the trial.
Seidle-Patton told the jurors that sometimes the presence of a jury would result in a resolution. She thanked them for participating in the jury selection process.
Desjardin was initially charged with: criminal attempted rape, strangulation, aggravated indecent assault without consent, simple assault, indecent assault, and harassment.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred at a Fulmer Drive residence in Farmington Township.
According to a criminal complaint, state police troopers responded to a report of a domestic incident in progress around 7:42 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
The victim reported Desjardin began calling her names earlier in the morning and then attempted to have sexual intercourse with her without her consent. The victim reported Desjardin then attempted to attack her, and she fled up the stairs to get away from him and tried to call a family member, the complaint states.
The victim said the altercation then continued when she went back downstairs and Desjardin forcefully threw her on the mattress and attempted to engage in sexual intercourse with her. Desjardin then placed his right hand around her neck with his thumb applying pressure to her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.
The victim stated Desjardin then placed a pillow over her face and performed a sex act on himself while on top of her, according to the complaint.
The victim did not consent to any of the sexual acts by Desjardin.
The sentencing date has not been set at this time.